The European rural landscape, a diverse mosaic of cultures, traditions, and ecosystems, has been undergoing profound transformations in recent decades. Land concentration, a process in which fewer farmers own land, is reshaping the face of the countryside. This phenomenon, facilitated by the Common Agricultural Policy and globalization processes, has led to a homogenization of the landscape, with the disappearance of small family farms characterized by specific traditional cultivation techniques.
As land concentration increases, monocultures are becoming more widespread. This practice, while increasing productivity in the short term, generates a number of negative consequences for the environment and the sustainability of the agri-food systems. The excess of monocultural specialization impoverishes the soil, attacking its agronomic properties; it makes it more vulnerable to erosion and exposes production itself to the attack of pathogens. These processes undermine the ability of ecosystems to provide essential services such as climate regulation and the protection of water resources. Loss of biodiversity is the other serious consequence of these changes. The homogenization of the rural landscape, the reduction of natural habitats,and the intensive use of pesticides and fertilizers have caused a drastic decline in animal and plant species, with serious repercussions on ecosystems.
The consequences of these changes go far beyond the agricultural sector, because they threaten human health and the sustainability of agro-food systems. On the social level, they compromise the quality of life in rural areas, generate abandonment of inner areas and exacerbate territorial and social inequalities.
In light of these disruptions, we invite fellow geographers to submit contributions on the dynamics of European rural landscapes, prioritizing a diachronic perspective starting from these macro-themes:
– Agriculture and sustainability (sustainable agriculture, climate change, Common Agricultural Policy)
– Social and economic impacts (rural abandonment, quality of life, food security; the role of women)
– Transformations of the rural landscape (land concentration, monocultures, biodiversity)
– Cultivation practices, governance, involvement of rural communities